Participants are expected to spend time at each of the three centers (SESYNC in Annapolis, MD, USA; UFZ and sDiv in Leipzig, Germany) working with their synthesis team. Each team should generally have no more than five members; however, larger-sized teams will be considered if justified. UFZ and sDiv have many faculty on-site, and applicants may wish to take advantage of their expertise. Funding decisions will be based on external peer review by an international panel. Proposals are due no later than October 9, 2013, and decisions will be made no later than November 15, 2013.

A description of the projects including background on SESYNC and detailed submission instructions can be foundHERE.

"Talk of mysteries! Think of our life in nature — daily to be shown matter, to come in contact with it — rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! the solid earth! the actual world! the common sense! Contact! Contact! Who are we? Where are we?" —Henry David Thoreau